1968 Cook Islands general election

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 May 1968. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP), which won 16 seats, a gain of two from the 1965 elections. The newly formed United Cook Islanders won the other six seats to become the parliamentary opposition. CIP leader Albert Henry continued as Prime Minister.

1968 Cook Islands general election

1 May 1968
22 seats in the Legislative Assembly 13 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader % Seats ± CIP Albert Henry 64.45 16 +2 UCI Ngatupuna Matepi 33.55 6 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Premier before Premier after Albert Henry CIP Albert Henry CIP

Campaign

In February a new party, the United Cook Islanders (UCI), was formed. Its members included former cabinet members Mana Strickland and Manea Tamarua. The new party launched its manifesto on 8 April.[1]

A total of 55 candidates contested the elections; 23 from the CIP (two candidates from the party ran against each other in Pukapuka, and four candidates from the party contested the three seats in Takitumu), 18 from the UCI and six independents.[2] Former Leader of Government Business Dick Charles Brown had intended to run as an independent, but withdrew.[3] The CIP candidates were returned unopposed in Mauke and Mitiaro.[2]

The campaign period during April saw meetings held almost every night, with CIP meetings initially drawing crowds of several hundred, rising to over 1,300 by the end of the campaign.[3] In contrast, UCI meetings were usually attended by fewer than 100 people.[3]

Results

The CIP won all nine seats in Rarotonga, and gained the three Aitutaki seats, which had been won by the Independent Group in 1965. The UCI's former ministers, Strickland and Tamarua, both lost their seats.[3]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Cook Islands Party	12,202	64.45	16	+2
	United Cook Islanders	6,352	33.55	6	New
	Independents	379	2.00	0	0
Total		18,933	100	22	0
Valid votes		6,858	99.33
Invalid/blank votes		46	0.67
Total		6,904	100
Registered voters/turnout		7,223	95.58
Source: Stone

Elected members

Constituency	Member	Party	Notes
Aitutaki	William Estall	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected (previously Independent Group)
	Nga Upu	Cook Islands Party
	Joe Williams	Cook Islands Party
Atiu	Vainerere Tangatapoto	United Cook Islanders
	Tangata Simiona	United Cook Islanders	Re-elected (previously United Political Party)
Mangaia	Pokino Aberahama	United Cook Islanders	Re-elected (previously United Political Party)
	Ngatupuna Matepi	United Cook Islanders	Re-elected (previously United Political Party)
Manihiki	Naro Temu	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
Mauke	Tupui Henry	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected unopposed
Mitiaro	Raui Pokoati	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected unopposed
Penrhyn	Tangaroa Tangaroa	United Cook Islanders	Re-elected (previously United Political Party)
Puaikura	Tamataia Pera	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
	Taru Moana	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
Pukapuka–Nassau	Inatio Akaruru	Cook Islands Party
Rakahanga	Pupuke Robati	United Cook Islanders	Re-elected (previously Independent Group)
Takitumu	Tiakana Numanga	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
	Samuela Samuela	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
	Apenera Short	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
Te-au-o-Tonga	Albert Henry	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
	Teanua Kamana	Cook Islands Party	Re-elected
	Teaukura Roi	Cook Islands Party
	Kamate Nangaiti	Cook Islands Party
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

References

1. Breakaways seek power in Cooks' elections Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1968, p24
2. David Stone (1970). "Parties and politics in Polynesia: Political trends in the self-governing Cook Islands". Journal of the Polynesian Society. 79 (2): 179.
3. Albert Henry back in the Cooks with a bang Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1968, p24

Further reading

• Haas, Anthony (1969). "Three Years after Internal Self-Government: The Cook Islands General Election 1968". Journal of Pacific History. 4 (1): 136–145. doi:10.1080/00223346908572152.